Rebecca lay sprawled with blades of grass tickling her arms, eyes closed and lost in thought. The breeze, a distant murmur, was lulling her to sleep. She found herself awestruck by this perfect moment. For weeks she had been working herself ragged at the local tavern, dealing with drunkards whose hands often roamed and cleaning sticky spots she prayed were from spilled mead. This tiny sliver of peace was her one reprieve from the hell her life had become. A bird’s song further in the meadow reminded her of the days she used to spend with her siblings, chasing each other across the rolling hills that stretched on for miles. Simpler times, for a girl who did not understand that the world would take from her until she had nothing left to give.

As the warmth of the sun began to fade, so too did Rebecca’s hope that someone might come and save her from her unending misery. Still laying in the grass that had started to make her itch, she opened her eyes to see that twilight had overtaken the sky, leaving freckles of stars to guide her home. With a sigh, she rose to her feet and began her long trek back to the village.